What are the benefits of sleep masks?
Sleepopolis.com reviews a variety of sleep masks
When you think of sleep masks, what do you think of? Holly Golightly groggily answering her door with her long-lashed, Tiffany blue sleep mask pushed up on her forehead? You see frequent flyers in business class on your way to coach.
Sometimes, sleep masks are portrayed as feminine or frivolous. However, they can be an effective and useful sleep aid that should be used by more people. I have tried thirteen different sleep masks, and while I still don’t use them every night for Sleepopolis, I am much more likely to reach for one when I have trouble falling asleep, getting sick, or if I need to nap during the day.
Are you sceptical about sleep masks‘ ability to help you sleep better? Below are some of the many benefits.
1. Theyre cheaper than blackout curtains.Researchers who study sleep are pretty unanimous in the assessment that the darker your room, the better your sleep. But most of us dont live in caves, and so the only way to make your bedroom totally dark is with blackout curtains-a costly proposition if youve got big windows. As an alternative, you can simulate darkness by using a sleep mask to keep ambient light (or, if youre a day-sleeper, daylight) from hitting your eyes. The blackout masks like the Total Eclipse Sleep Mask or MINDFOLD offer complete darkness. However, even a blindfolded mask such as the Nest Bedding Luxury Sleep Mask and the Alaska Bear Sleep Mask can block light.
2. They can improve your quality of sleep.
Scientists believe that darkness is necessary for good sleep. This is due to evolutionary reasons. Our pre-human ancestors and humans are naturally diurnal. This means that they sleep at night while being awake during the day. Before electric lights were invented, humans slept when it was dark. They also woke up during the day. Our brains are hard-wired into associating darkness with sleep, and they produce more melatonin (the hormone that controls our sleep and wake cycles) when they sense an absence of light.
Scientists have found that dark sleep conditions are associated with increased melatonin levels and more REM sleep. This means you’re more likely to fall asleep deep and stay asleep through the night. These benefits have been found to be not limited to dark rooms, but also with sleep masks.
3.
They might help your insomnia.Because our brains associate darkness with sleep, it may be possible to utilize a sleep mask in muting the noise (stress, anxiety, excitement, etc.) Our brains are unable to sleep at night because of this. You can’t even look up at the distractions or temptations in your bedroom, or at your alarm clock. Sleep scientists recommend that you keep these things out of your sight.Sleep masks dont have the same side effects-or risks-as pharmaceutical sleep aids or alcohol.
4. They are safer than alcohol and medication.
A lot of people who have trouble sleeping use sleeping pills or self-medicate with alcohol in order to get some rest. But pharmaceutical sleeping aids-even non-prescription ones-can be habit-forming or come with side effects. The risk of overdosing is real. Alcohol has the same risks as sleeping pills. It can also disrupt your sleep cycle, which can have a negative effect on your quality of rest.
Sleep masks fool your brain into thinking it’s time to sleep. They are a non-chemical, low-risk alternative to other sleep aids. However, you might find them just as effective.
5. These might be helpful in preventing dry eyes.
Central heating or cooling your home can cause dry air to fill your room while you sleep. It can also blow at your eyes and stir up pet hair and dust that you didn’t notice. Investing in a humidifier can be helpful here, but it wont keep the recirculated air from blowing at your eyes. However, a sleep mask can protect your eyes from the HVAC and create a protective shield over them.
People with nocturnal lagophthalmos, a condition that prevents them from closing their eyes completely when they sleep, can use sleep masks to help. Because our eyes need the protection and lubrication our lids offer, people who cant close their lids fully can experience extremely dry eyes, and may even suffer permanent damage. Sleep masks can help mitigate this, by creating a closed environment around the eye, but note that the highly breathable sleep masks many people seek might not be a good solution for lagopthalmos patients.
Instead, they should consult their doctors to find a sealed sleeping mask that will help to hydrate the eyes.Sleep masks can protect the delicate skin around your eyes and reduce the formation of wrinkles.
6. They are good for your skin.It’s not just funny to wake up with wrinkled pillowscase impressions on your face. Over time, this can lead to wrinkles. If you sleep on your side or stomach, the combination of the pressure against your skin and any rubbing on your pillowcase that makes these impressions can lead to collagen breakdown-which means crows feet. You can try a special pillow or pillowcase to help this, or you can attempt to learn to sleep on your back (Ive tried; its not easy), but if youre happy with your sleeping habits, you can also get a sleep mask to protect the delicate skin around your eyes, where many peoples wrinkles first form. A sleep mask acts as a protective layer between your pillow and you, so that you are less likely to get sheet lines or collagen breakdown.
Your chances of getting rashes under your mask might be higher if you have more acne and wrinkles. To mitigate this risk, make sure you choose a mask made from 100% natural, breathable materials like cotton or silk, and wash it regularly with scent-free detergent and no fabric softener. Your sleep mask may still be beneficial for your acne. Because acne can worsen from poor or insufficient sleep, a good sleep mask can help you to get better sleep.
7. There are lots of kinds to choose from.
You may have tried a sleep mask once and decided they werent for you. Maybe it was that this particular mask wasn’t for you. If you dont like pressure on your eyelids, there are masks that sit away from the eye. If you dont like masks that adjust with Velcro there are masks that utilize lingerie-like sliding straps for resizing. If you dont like masks that are too big and bulky, there are literally hundreds of low-profile, blindfold-style masks to choose from. Blackout masks are a good alternative if you don’t think the masks block enough light.
In other words, the possibilities are endless.
Try a few masks with reasonable return policies (or price points that are low enough that if you dislike the masks, you wont feel ripped off) and see what style is right for you. I know that if I hadnt tried several on for size, I probably wouldnt think sleep masks were right for me either.
Do your research. You can refer to my Sleepopolis reviews as a starting point. Then, go ahead and buy a few sleep masks. Youd be surprised at how great you might feel in the morning.
FAQs
Why would I need a sleep mask?
People need sleep masks for many reasons including suffering from insomnia, people who have to work at night and sleep during the day, and even people who are sick or staying in a place they are unfamiliar with.
Is a sleep mask able to help me sleep better?
Not only does sleeping in darker conditions increase melatonin production, but scientists have also discovered that dark sleeping conditions lead to increased time in REM sleep and decreased wakefulness
Are sleep masks safe for my skin?
The sleep mask can protect the delicate eye area. If acne from a sleep mask is a concern, buy a mask made from 100% natural, breathable materials like cotton or silk, and wash it regularly with scent-free detergent and no fabric softener.
